Ode to Burrata

If an evil curse forced me to eat only one type of cheese for the rest of my life I would cry. Then I would eat burrata. Burrata causes me to swoon and wax poetic. I will ramble on about how it tastes of spring meadows, rainbows and butterflies; how one bite will cause you to have a cheese epiphany consider quitting your job, importing a herd of water buffalo, and starting a cheese making business. (Mr. B logically pointed out that the water buffalo would probably not enjoy sub-zero temperatures. Dream killer.) How every time you visit a Whole Foods you will ask the cheese monger if they have any burrata, and become so disappointed when they do not that all the other cheeses loose their appeal (well almost). Burrata is my cheese.

What is burrata you may ask? It is a silky ball of fresh Italian cheese traditionally made from the milk of water buffalo. This milk is richer than cows' milk and lacks yellow carotene so it is pure white. The cheese is created by creating an outer shell with mozzarella curds and filling it with a mixture of curd and fresh cream. This means that when you break the soft outer shell of a burrata ball it will ooze a buttery creamy liquid onto the plate. Oh, the liquid goodness! This is definitely a case where the cheese stands alone. You do not need much more than a bit of bread or a slice of heirloom tomato to convey the cheese directly into your mouth.

Burrata is best eaten within 24 hours after it is made and beyond 48 hours is considered past its prime. Much like fish, it should be handled with care and enjoyed at the peak of freshness. Now last I checked, there are not any water buffalo herds in the U.S. and overnight shipping from Italy would make this cheese cost prohibitive. However we are in luck, for on the outskirts of L.A. a man named Vito Girardi is creating Italian quality burrata for our enjoyment. He manufactures 1500 pounds a day, with each ball formed by hand. A marvelous L.A. Times article featuring Vito can be found here.

As burrata has grown in popularity over the past few years, I have seen a copycat version pop up at Trader Joe's. Sadly, it does not compare to the quality of burrata produced by Vito. Whole Foods carries Gioia's burrata (Vito's brand) and while it is not cheap (about $10- $16 per pound) it is well worth the price. Each creamy bite will fill your mouth with a burst of freshness. Tasting of spring grass, tangy curd, and a haunting sweetness it will leave you daydreaming about water buffalo and making cheese.

Burrata Cheese on Grilled Bread (Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:
1 lb fresh burrata cheese
1 loaf artisan bread (nice and crusty)
High quality olive oil
Freshly ground pepper
Sea Salt
1/2 lemon
2 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half

Directions:
Pre-heat your grill on medium-high (to about 400 degrees). Remove the burrata from the fridge and let it warm to room temperature while you prepare the bread.

Slice bread in 1" thick slices. Brush both sides of each slice with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Once grill is hot, place bread slices on the grill, turning them over after three minutes to cook on the other side. Grill until bread is toasted and grill marks begin to show. Remove bread from grill. Lightly rub the garlic halves across the top of the bread (You want just a hint of flavor here- not garlic bread.) Rub the cut half of the lemon across the top of the bread.

Remove the burrata from the liquid in the container and place it in the center of a large plate. Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil on top of the cheese. Lightly sprinkle the burrata with a little sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

To serve, slice into the burrata and spread it on each slice of bread.

Enjoy!